I have a few heroes of honesty. These are people who tell it like they see it. They aren’t afraid of what will happen when they tell it like it is. They may not be talking absolute truth, and that’s not what I’m talking about either. These two men talk about what they know, how they see the world, without holding anything back.
Who are these two men?
1. Dwight Schrute
2. Eminem
These may seem like odd choices to you, in a blog about honesty. You will never hear Dwight say something to fit in, or be like the rest of the Scrantonites, but that’s why it is so refreshing. You will never hear Eminem spit a rhyme to get play, or to be popular.
Although the thoughts of these two men may be odd at best, dark at worst, we can agree that they are both honest men, not willing to let those who are different determine their life.
Honesty isn’t about talking about what everyone wants to hear. It’s not about being polite. It’s so hard to be honest in America, and especially the American church. People ask how life is, with no real care. I can’t stand when someone (in church) asks me about details of my life, then spends the whole time I’m talking to them looking past me and waving at other people. People aren’t asking to be honest. They’re asking to be polite.
But here’s the thing: In the most intimate, true church setting, we are supposed to be honest. That’s what it’s all about. Honesty brings healing, and hope. We aren’t meant to hold things inside. We weren’t made to be polite. It’s hard for me to be honest. Derek Webb talks about blasting his sins on the big screen during his concerts. I think that would be the most hopeful place around.
I think the reason the unchurch are so scared of the churched is because of the facade. Christians like to think we have it all together. We obviously don’t, but we have to put on a show for the unchurched so they can see how great Jesus is. In my experience with the unchurched (and the churched for that matter) it seems that people in general respond better to an honest, struggling person. We have to be real about our doubts and fears.
There are obviously times in the workplace to make polite conversation, but can we make these more real and honest? Maybe instead of treating people like garbage for suffering we can be honest with them and remind them that we all have our downtime. Not only can our honesty bring healing to us, but it also heals those who hear our honesty. I don’t wanna act real, I wanna be real. I love how Jesus displayed honesty. He was loving and cut straight to the chase, as in the woman at the well story, but was also honest in calling out the evil, as in the cleansing of the Temple. This is a time when Jesus was honest about his hurts, not full of anger (he had time to cool down while he made a whip).
In what ways can you be honest with your loved ones? What about your work friends? The “unchurched”?
God help me live life honestly.
austingilly 
I think you hit this on the money, the reason Dwight is awesome, and his character is worth something outside of his humor is his honesty. Dwight is a commentary of what honesty involves and if we can get anything out of what his character reveals, it’s that honesty demands responsibility. Honesty places responsibility on your words and actions and gives responsibility to those who hear and see them in their response. Well, maybe that’s too heavy of a truth to be revealed by Dwight, but definitely revealed in Jesus. haha. And I guess it’s the responsibility that makes people not want to be honest, it’s an invitation for response… and we don’t want that.
Anywho, good thought provoking. Post
Exactly! And the last thing people want these days is for their words to hold any weight. We hate taking responsibility and, like you said, our words require us to be responsible, whether we really want them to our not.
Thanks for the comment bud!